This invention relates to combination devices for holding decorative ornaments or other objects, and more particularly, to a decorative ornament and support assembly particularly adapted to be mounted on a relatively smooth, substantially planar surface such as glass or wood.
Gary U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,078 issued May 5, 1992 discloses a device for mounting a decorative light support assembly to a planar surface using a suction cup in a two-part combination. The Gary patent references a large number of patents and devices disclosed by Gary to this same general subject matter which are listed in the references on the front page of the '078 patent. A copy of that patent is submitted herewith in the enclosed Information Disclosure Statement.
Nevertheless, while the Gary patent may show a device which is satisfactory for its intended purpose, there is an inherent difficulty with the device of the Gary patent relating to the moment created by the construction between the suction cup there disclosed and the weight supported by the clip portion of the Gary device. This moment multiplied by the weight of the decorative light creates a force which tends to break the suction between the cup and the planar support surface, thereby rendering the device ineffective.
The Gary patent also illustrates the advantage of suction cups over mounting devices including adhesive pads, screw type fasteners, or the like for securing support brackets to substantially planar surfaces. Adhesive pads as well as the other above-mentioned type fasteners leave evidence of their presence ranging from adhesive residue to actual holes in the surface. All of these objections are obviated by the use of suction cups for mounting devices to flat planar surfaces.